LocalSalaryHub Salary Report
Civil Engineers in Ames, IA · Generated June 15, 2026
Civil Engineers Salary in Ames, IA $100,200/yr
$100,200
Mean: $100,720
~$78,156 est. take-home
$48.17
Based on 2,080 hrs/yr
100
100 = national avg
Very affordable
Affordability score: 100/100
$4,324/mo
63%
Salary Distribution
Where the median falls between the 25th and 75th percentile.
25th %
$77,550
Median
$100,200
75th %
$120,230
Median is in the 53th percentile of the typical range
Civil Engineers in other IA cities
Compare the same occupation across cities in IA.
About Civil Engineers salaries in Ames, IA
Civil Engineers in Ames, IA earn a median of $100,200 per year, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. The mean salary is $100,720, which tends to skew higher because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Most civil engineers in this area earn between $77,550 and $120,230. Where you land depends on experience, employer type, and whether you have in-demand specializations.
That works out to roughly $48.17 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year. Actual hourly pay may differ for part-time or contract roles.
Career Outlook
6% growth, boosted by federal infrastructure spending on roads, bridges, water systems, and broadband. Climate resilience work — seawalls, flood management, fire-resistant infrastructure — is the fastest-growing specialty within civil engineering.
Worth knowing: A PE (Professional Engineer) license is basically mandatory for career progression. Without it, your ceiling is lower and you can't sign off on public projects.
Civil Engineers Jobs in Ames, IA
Median: $100,200/yr — browse openings that fit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary for a civil engineers in Ames?▾
The median — where half earn more and half earn less — is $100,200. The average (mean) is $100,720, which is higher because top earners pull it up.
How much does a civil engineers make per hour in Ames?▾
About $48.17/hour, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. Part-time or overtime hours will change the actual rate.
What is the salary range for civil engineers in Ames?▾
The middle 50% earn between $77,550 and $120,230. Below $77,550 is typically entry-level; above $120,230 usually means significant experience or specialized skills.
Salary Conversion Table
How does $100,200 per year break down across different time periods?
| Period | Gross | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly | $100,200 | $78,156 |
| Monthly | $8,350 | $6,513 |
| Biweekly | $3,854 | $3,006 |
| Weekly | $1,927 | $1,503 |
| Hourly (40h/wk) | $48.17 | $37.58 |
| Hourly (35h/wk) | $55.05 | $42.94 |
| Hourly (30h/wk) | $64.23 | $50.1 |
| Daily (8h) | $385 | $301 |
Take-home estimates use an effective tax rate of 22%. Actual amounts vary by filing status, deductions, and state tax.
Civil Engineers: Highest-Paying Cities in the U.S.
Top 10 cities nationwide for civil engineers, based on BLS median salary data.
Related Occupations in Ames
Similar roles in the same field, ranked by national average salary.
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See more salary data
More pages tied to this occupation and region.
- Civil Engineers salaries nationwide — the national median and the highest-paying metros for civil engineers across all states.
- All IA salary data — every occupation we cover in IA, ranked by median pay, plus the cities that pay the most.
- Civil Engineers in San Jose, CA — the top-paying city for civil engineers in our dataset, in case you are weighing a move out of Ames.
- Industrial Engineers salary overview — a closely related role (same SOC major group) with a national median of $100,257.